OE-Commerceenters 2026 under a new logic of competitiveness. If, in recent years, price and assortment led purchasing decisions, now they areinstant service, brand reputation and real-time conversion capabilitiesthat determine who grows and who loses space in digital retail. In an increasingly fragmented environment between marketplaces, WhatsApp, social networks and virtual stores, the conversational experience becomes the center of the strategy.
According to Tiago Vailati, CEO of Loopia, a Chat Commerce platform with Artificial Intelligence, service is now seen as a strategic part of the sales funnel, and the logic is simple:whoever responds first, sells. "The customer chooses the best channel to buy, the one that is most convenient, that provides the best experience, combining price, delivery and convenience. And, in this scenario, speed, context and relationship are decisive", says the executive.
Based on the analysis of consumer behavior, the operation of hundreds of e-commerces and the evolution of the use of AI in digital retail, Tiago mappedfour trends that should shape e-commerce in 2026. Check it out.
1. Instant service stops being a differentiator and becomes a basic requirement
In 2026, waiting will be synonymous with abandonment. The multichannel consumer — who moves between WhatsApp, marketplaces and social networks — expects responses in seconds, not minutes. Operations that do not operate continuously, 24 hours a day, tend to lose sales, often without even realizing it.
2. Chat Commerce consolidates itself as the main conversion engine
The purchasing journey stops being linear and becomes conversational. Instead of browsing the website alone, consumers buy by talking — either with human sellers or with AI agents trained to sell, answer questions and guide decisions.
This movement transforms customer service into an active sales channel, capable of directly impacting indicators such as conversion rate, average ticket and repurchase. Operations that treat chat only as SAC tend to be left behind.
3. Reputation is built in real time
Reviews, private messages, comments on social networks and conversations on marketplaces start to weigh as much as institutional ads and campaigns. Each interaction becomes a touchpoint that builds — or destroys — the brand’s reputation.
4. Artificial Intelligence evolves from automation to sales intelligence
In 2026, AI will no longer act solely as operational support and will becomeintelligence applied to conversion. Intelligent agents take on functions such as prioritizing services, identifying purchase intentions, recommending products, recovering abandoned carts and post-sales. The difference will be less in the presence of AI and morein the way it is trained and integrated into the complete journey. Operations that use AI only reactively tend to lose efficiency compared to more intelligent and proactive models.
For Loopia, e-commerce in 2026 will be defined less by isolated technology and more byability to transform conversations into sales, with intelligence, speed and context. "Service stops being a cost and becomes a strategic asset. Those who understand this now will arrive more prepared in 2026", concludes Tiago Vailati.
